freefall
by GlimmerIcewood
Summary: It was only a brief moment, but that is all it takes for death to occur. Rita's dead sister was Dauntless, completely unknown, without identity or a face. Sometimes bad things happen, but those broken by it only need to learn how to not be afraid.


freefall;; divergent trilogy

It was only a brief moment, but that is all it takes for death to occur. Rita's dead sister was Dauntless, completely unknown, without idenity or a face. Sometimes bad things happen, but those broken by it only need to learn how to not be afraid.

_And all the bad boys are standing in the shadows,_

_and the good girls are home with broken hearts._

_And I'm free, free falling._

_Now I'm free, free falling. _

xx

Rita stood on the train, her dark hair whipping across her face from the wind. Her sister, only slightly smaller than herself, had a tight hold on the rail bolted firmly to the wall nearest to them. Her sharp eyes raked the blurring scenery, the towering buildings that were flying past at alarming speeds.

The train was designed for this, the speed so fast it could knock you off your feet if you weren't prepared. It took some of the greatest balance and precision to leap on and off - one misplaced step could end you. But they were Dauntless born and raised, and this last jump was the first step to the beginning of their initiation, the start of their lives.

She looked at her sister again, who was talking animatedly to one of her friends, a tall girl with blonde pixie hair. They were so different. Rita was the socially awkward, the one with only a few friends. But her sister, Elena, had a huge circle of friends and always seemed to love being surrounded by people.

Even though they looked almost identical, they couldn't be more opposite.

xx

Ever since they were born, Rita only 11 months before Elena, they protected each other. Living with the Dauntless was always dangerous, and they always faced everything together. The first time they had jumped off the train they had been holding each others hands so tightly their knuckles were white. When Elena got into a fight with an older Dauntless girl, Rita had been throwing punches at another person, a towering girl with more tattoos than what should've been legal.

They never let each other down, always made sure that the other was safe. But maybe the fact that they were so protective was their biggest mistake.

xx

"Elena! Get over here!"

The short, dark haired girl quickly crossed the train to her sisters side, beaming with happiness. They clasped hands, the smiles never leaving their faces.

"We're so close, Rita. Can you believe it?" Elena said, her eyes shining. Rita didn't answer, just shook her head excitedly before glancing back out over the city. Elena followed her gaze, watching as the train sped effortlessly across its tracks.

They both stood still as the momentum of the train slowed only a fraction, signaling that their destination was soon to come. Both sisters approached the open doors slowly, glancing over the edge towards the street below. The pavement was empty, not a sign of pedestrian nor car speeding across it's surface. The train continued to slow, though not a sound emerged from the wheels, and ahead of her, the first Dauntless boy leapt into nothing.

He hit the roof, landing on his feet, then quickly turned around to balance the next initiate, an Erudite girl who was wobbling slightly where she had landed. Another person jumped off, followed closely by a small boy, whose eyes were wide with fear.

"You first, sis. I'll be right behind you," Elena said, pushing her sister to the edge of her door. Rita quickly took her place, feet poised on the edge of the trains floor. With a deep breath, she pushed off with all her strength. The air was cold around her and the feeling was that of a weightless feather drifting through the breeze. A second later the street disappeared, followed by the gritty rooftop below her. She hit the ground on her shoulders, rolling neatly forward into a somersault. Her feet were planted firmly beneath her, and she quickly stood up, spinning around to look for Elena.

She wasn't there.

xx

Rita quickly scanned the crowd, eyes locking onto each individual face. She turned back towards the train, watching as a pair of girls on its surface stared horrified at the sidewalk below them.

No. This couldn't be happening. This wasn't real.

She rushed to the edge of the roof, hands gripping the edge for support. Her nails dug into the cold concrete as she leaned over the edge, eyes trying to refuse the truth.

A small body layed on the sidewalk below her, dark hair fanned around a petite face. Limbs are bent at broken, impossible angles, twisted around her body from the fall. A pool of blood has begun to gather around the figures head, growing rapidly with every passing second.

"Elena..." Rita whispered, her voice already beginning to crack. Hot tears start to flood from her eyes without her consent, blurring her vision.

It couldn't be her sister on the sidewalk below. It had to be someone else. Her sister was so close, so Dauntless, it wasn't possible. She had been born for this. Not born to die before her life even began.

Rita vaguely hears a scream, shrill like a siren, piercing her eardrums. She leans farther over the edge of the roof, tears creating dark pools on the beginning of the ledge.

It doesn't take her long to realize that the screams are her own.

xx

Arms are locked around her waist as she attempts to lean farther over the roof, almost looking as if she is about to leap off it herself. The boy struggles, even though Rita is small and shouldn't be much of a challenge. He's whispering in her ear, trying to get her to stop panicking, just for one second. But she won't stop screaming.

xx

Rita hears the voice, telling her to calm down. But nobody can say that, not now. Her sister is dead, lying twisted on the sidewalk below in unnatural angles.

She escapes from the restraining grip around her waist, though doesn't make it more than a step back from the edge of the roof before she collapses, knees scraping harshly on the grit of the roof. The wind is blowing too quickly through her hair, making the tangled edges stick to her face where tears run down her cheeks like a waterfall.

The tears are coming faster than before, and Rita can do nothing to stop them.

She vaguely recognizes the feeling of arms wrapping around her, pulling her up - though her knees feel weak, like they're made of cotton. The arms don't leave and she buries her head in the woolen shirt of the person, sobbing and screaming and crying, her voice already hoarse.

Rita lifts her face up to the sky, where the sun shines bright as a golden coin. The rays highlight each tear that falls down her face, turning them to crystalline fire. She's still shaking, hands trembling - all thoughts gone from her mind.

Her mind is wandering, traveling back to memories of Elena, not listening to the others around her who offer voices of concern. She blocks them all out, picturing her sister solely in her mind; smiling and grabbing her hand with the sun floating above their heads.

She doesn't know if it's imagination or reality when she hears a voice on the wind, telling her not to be afraid.


End file.
